Lenten Words

          Lent. Not the stuff in your belly button, but Lent- the 40+ days prior to Pascha. As Orthodox Christians, we don't just "give up chocolate for Lent," but we give up all dairy products, meat, fish, olive oil, and wine. We try to be more diligent in our prayer life, and we also should give more of our time and money to help those in need. These are not rigid rules where if you don't fast according to strict dietary rules, pray so many times, and give so much away, then you are not a good Christian. These are things we do so we can have a better relationship with our fellow man, ourselves, and God. With all of these things, we all do what we can, and what we do, we should all do in humility. Lent is a time to examine ourselves.

          Growing up, Easter was one of two major Sundays which padded the attendance numbers. The other, of course, was the Sunday around Christmas, unless it actually fell on a Sunday and then the numbers weren't that good. Anyways, growing up, there wasn't anything leading up to Easter. It was just another Sunday. Fasting was read about in the Bible, and those "suggestions" from Jesus were seen as not that important. However, I have come to love this time of year. I look forward to it almost as soon as it's over.  During Lent, I am usually somewhat hungry, the church services are longer and more frequent, and we stand throughout the services. Some services will go for over three hours... yet I still love them.

          Lent is an interesting and introspective time, just like the stuff in your belly button- Where did it come from? What would happen if I didn't pick it? Why do I have so much of it and my wife never seems to have any? Do people with outies have lint? 

          And just like that,  my focus has gone. I stop being introspective during Lent and I get distracted. My mind wanders, my stomach growls, my house breaks, my trivia team loses. I wonder what and how people are doing who I haven't seen or talked to in a long time. I hear and read about awful things that are happening all over the world. I hear about our impending doom due to our country's relationships with this country or that country. I imagine our demise due to our country's politics on both sides of the aisle. However, these distractions can be helpful during Lent. When my mind wanders to thinking of old friends, I should pray for them. When my stomach growls, I should pray for mercy. When I get distracted by our country's problems, I should pray for our leaders to have wisdom. 

          Lent is a wonderful time of the year. If you want to give something up for Lent, then do it. If you want to pray more during Lent, then do it. If you want to volunteer at your local food bank during Lent, then do it... but whatever you do during Lent, do it in humility.